Short-term thermoregulatory adjustments to ambient temperature changes in the rabbit. II. Experimental results.

Rabbits housed at constant ambient temperature (Ta = 22 +/- 1 degree C) were exposed, in different sessions, to different Ta's, ranging from 0 to 25 degrees C. The steady values of both ear skin (Ts) and hypothalamic (Thy) temperature were measured. Ts appeared to be positively correlated with Ta, while, on the contrary, Thy was found to be negatively correlated with Ta. specular changes, therefore, were induced on Ts and Thy by Ta changes, according to the additive model proposed in a previous paper.